Setting Goals

BY:

Goals. It’s a word on every business owner’s mind. It may sound a bit too optimistic to the skeptics out there, but goals are the one thing that keeps your business going in both busy and down times. I don’t need to tell you that running a business requires industry knowledge, a good business sense, a lot of project juggling and planning of day-to-day responsibilities. But having clear business goals is the jugular of your operation, that and a dose of luck, of course.

Every year in August, Water Quality Products brings you its Buyer’s Guide issue, which offers the most up-to-date compilation of companies (see page 60), and draws upon categorically organized product list (see page 20) to help service your buying needs.

We dedicated our 2004/2005 Buyer’s Guide to business goals mainly because of my recent visits to some of WQP’s readers. And while meeting them and learning first hand what some of their main business plans and concerns are was extremely beneficial, one thing constantly kept coming up—goals.

Everyone was eager to talk about their business and what they do, and
how they approach their highs and lows today, tomorrow, maybe even
next year; however, long-term business goals seemed to pop up rarely
in the conversations.

Now I don’t want you to take me the wrong way, that doesn’t mean they aren’t successful or don’t know how to run their business. Exactly the opposite, but even they admitted that long-term goals are something they need to focus on and improve.

This year’s Buyer’s Guide is designed to inspire you to do just that—make some long term goals and see them through.

Our editorial sections begins on page 6 with a detailed review and an update of future POU and POE product standards to help better serve buyers and ease their purchasing decision. In addition, as every dealer strives to stay on budget, what better way to ensure that your investment goes a long way than learning how to plan and get the best of trade shows and manage your expenses without sacrificing quality. And finally, the always to-the-point WQP’s sales column advises you how to avoid common staffing mistakes dealers make.

So why do we think that our 2004/2005 Buyer’s Guide deserves your attention? Because it is our job to provide you with a synthesized industry resource and helpful information that you can refer to throughout the year. We have gathered a complete list of industry associations and agencies as well as a product/service guide and a website section, all dedicated to be your water industry guide and help you set and reach high business goals.